the Lectures of Nekounam, (Session 206)
Within the compendium of Islamic mysticism, Raghbah (ardour) shines forth as a radiant gem amid the successive stations of spiritual wayfaring, guiding the heart of the seeker with intense yearning and attachment towards the Exalted Truth. This station, delineated in the seminal work Manzil al-Sirn by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari as the concluding station of the chapter Qism al-Abwb, constitutes a pivotal bridge between the seekers inner states and their external actions within the chapter Qism al-Mumalt.
Lecture 206 offers a profound and mystical elucidation of this station, presenting Raghbah as a transcendent longing imbued with certainty in the fulfilment of the desired and the acceptance of supplication.
Raghbah embodies a spiritual rank whereby the seeker is elevated from pure hope (Raj) towards certainty and actualisation. This station is substantiated by Qurnic verses and exemplified by the prophetic precedents, such as those of Prophets Jonah and Zakariya, marking the zenith of the Qism al-Abwb. Every nuance of the lecture, from the distinction between Raghbah and Raj to the complementary roles of Ruhbah (fear) and Khash (humble submission), is conveyed with thorough exposition.
The monumental treatise Manzil al-Sirn by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari organises the spiritual journey into three principal divisions: Badayt, Abwb, and Mumalt. The division of Badayt encompasses stations such as Awakening (Yaqah), Repentance (Tawbah), Self-examination (Musabah), and Turning towards God (Anbah), guiding the seeker through the preliminary stages of spiritual awakening and return to God.
The division of Abwb, which forms the subject matter here, includes stations such as Grief (uzn), Fear (Khawf), Compassion (Ishfq), Humility (Khash), Submission (Akhbt), Asceticism (Zuhd), Piety (Wara), Detachment (Tabattul), Hope (Raj), and Ardour (Raghbah).
Raghbah, as the final station of this division, prepares the seeker for entry into Qism al-Mumalt, where righteous deeds and acts of worship bear fruit.
This structure resembles a ladder, ascending step by step from the darkness of the nafs towards the divine light. Raghbah stands as a summit at the conclusion of Qism al-Abwb, from which the seeker gazes towards the horizon of Mumalt, stepping forward with exalted longing upon the path of righteous actions.
The lecture substantiates the station of Raghbah by reference to verse 90 of Surah al-Anbiy:
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ
s translation: "Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and invoke Us with desire and fear, and they were to Us submissive."
This verse presents Raghbah (ardour and attachment to God) and Ruhbah (fear and awe of God) as eminent attributes of the Prophets and the saints. The conjunction of Raghbah and Ruhbah, accompanied by Khash, engenders a balanced state within the spiritual journey that guides the seeker towards the acceptance of supplication and the descent of blessings. This verse acts as a mirror reflecting the conduct of the Prophets before the seeker, steering him towards yearning, reverence, and humility.
Raghbah occupies a station subsequent to Raj and prior to the division of Mumalt. While Raj denotes hope amid absence, Raghbah signifies ardour within consciousness and actualisation. The lecture emphasises that Raj resembles yearning for something not yet attained, whereas Raghbah manifests as a fervent longing for that which is presently realised before the seeker.
Raj is likened to a sapling awaiting the nourishing rain of hope, whereas Raghbah is akin to a tree bearing the fruits of fulfilment. This station guides the seeker from mere possibility to assured certainty.
Raghbah, as the culminating station of Qism al-Abwb in Manzil al-Sirn, epitomises the apex of the seekers inner states, preparing him for entry into Qism al-Mumalt. This station, substantiated by verse 90 of Surah al-Anbiy, identifies ardour and attachment to God as an exalted attribute intertwined with fear and humility. The distinction between Raghbah and Raj accentuates the formers superior rank as one united with certainty. Raghbah acts as a bridge guiding the seeker from the realm of hope to that of actualisation and acceptance.
The lecture references the story of Prophet Jonah, citing verse 87 of Surah al-Anbiy:
وَذَا النُّونِ إِذْ ذَهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ نَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَى فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
s translation: "And [mention] the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree anything upon him. And he called out within the darkness, 'There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.'"
Prophet Jonahs supplication amid darkness exemplifies Raj in a state of dire distress. When he was within the belly of the fish, engulfed by the oceans darkness, he presumed deliverance impossible. Yet, through glorifying God and confessing his wrongdoing, he sought refuge in the Truth, and his prayer was accepted. This invocation resounds as a cry from the depths of darkness towards the divine light, guiding the seeker towards salvation.
The lecture stresses that this prayer was uttered at a moment of fear and desperation, akin to a child singing out of fright in darkness. Yet, this chant emanated not from weakness but from the profound depths of faith and hope in divine mercy.
The lecture cites the prayer of Prophet Zakariya, referencing verse 89 of Surah al-Anbiy:
وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ
s translation: "And [mention] Zakariya, when he called to his Lord, 'My Lord, do not leave me alone [childless], while You are the best of inheritors.'"
Zakariyas supplication, born of loneliness and exile, was composed with humility and ardour towards God. This prayer resulted in the granting of a son (Yahya) and the rectification of his spouse. The lecture highlights this invocation as an exemplar of Raghbah, given its certainty in the realisation of divine blessings. Zakariya, at the zenith of solitude and nearing lifes end, cried out with transcendent yearning to God and attained divine bounty.
This prayer resembles a gentle breeze blowing from the desert of estrangement towards the garden of divine mercy, yielding the fruits of blessings. Zakariyas Raghbah is akin to a cloud that showers the rain of acceptance upon the soil of his heart.
The lecture references the phrase wa alan lahu zawjah (and We rectified for him his wife) and emphasises that infertility is a temporary deficiency, with all instances rectifiable. Gods rectification of Zakariyas wife pertains not to a mere external alteration but to the removal of intrinsic barriers hindering the manifestation of blessings, such as procreation.
This rectification functions as a key unlocking the barriers of creation and clearing the path for the descent of divine grace. The lecture presents this theological principle as asserting the inherent perfection of divine creation, free from intrinsic defects. Raghbah, by engendering hope for the realisation of blessings, guides the seeker towards this outlook.
The lecture touches upon the varying spiritual ranks among the Prophets, such as Jonah and Zakariya, underscoring that Zakariyas hastening towards blessings and humility placed him in a superior station. Jonahs prayer was marked by distress and fear, whereas Zakariyas was suffused with ardour and certainty. This distinction reflects the Qurnic principle of tafdl al-anbiy (preferment of some Prophets over others).
Such preferment functions like a scale measuring the degrees of virtue against the weights of faith and action. Zakariya, embodying Raghbah and humility, stands upon a loftier summit than Jonah, whose invocation was uttered amidst the darkness of distress.
The lectures elucidation of the prophetic invocations of Jonah and Zakariya embodies the dual aspects of spiritual supplication: Raj in distress and Raghbah in ardent humility. Jonahs plea in the depths of darkness epitomises hope amid adversity, while Zakariyas prayer reflects assured yearning coupled with divine acceptance and rectification. This distinction deepens the seekers comprehension of the rank of Raghbah as transcending mere hope to encompass certainty and fulfilment, especially when tempered with humility and submission.
The station of Raghbah, as explicated in the lecture of Nekounam, is a luminous threshold at the end of the stations of spiritual states (Qism al-Abwb) that prepares the seeker for righteous deeds and fruitful worship (Qism al-Mumalt). It is a state distinguished by ardour coupled with certainty, reinforced by divine precedent and Qurnic revelation.
Raghbah embraces the harmonious balance between hope and fear, ardour and humility, yearning and submission. It manifests the spiritual ardour that led Prophets like Zakariya to achieve acceptance and blessing, and through it, the seeker treads the path from longing towards consummation.
May this illumination inspire and guide the hearts of seekers upon the path of divine proximity, culminating in the realization of the ardent yearning for the Beloved.
The humility observed within the station of Raghbah markedly differs from the humility characteristic of the prior division of the chapters. The humility preceding Raghbah serves as a preliminary introduction to this exalted station; however, the humility emerging subsequent to Raghbah represents a more sublime state, one accompanied by certainty and acceptance. The discourse emphasises that humility within Raghbah is akin to a fruit borne in the garden of ardour and certainty.
Such humility manifests like a prostration performed by the spiritual seeker in the presence of the grandeur of acceptance. This humility is an emblematic indicator of the maturation of the seeker's mystical states.
Raghbah, characterised by its distinction from Raja', the acceptance of supplications, a balanced coexistence with Ruhbah (awe), and an elevated humility, occupies a dynamic and pivotal position in the spiritual path. This station guides the seeker from mere hope towards certainty and actualisation, illuminating the heart with the light of acceptance. Raghbah resembles a cloud which, accompanied by awe and humility, bestows the rain of divine blessings upon the terrain of spiritual progression.
The discourse emphasises that Raghbah constitutes the spiritual journey in pursuit of a reality whose occurrence is assured. At this station, the seeker's objective is certainly realised. This attribute distinguishes Raghbah from Raja', which remains accompanied by probability and desire, whereas Raghbah is characterised by certainty and actualisation.
Raghbah is analogous to a voyage in which the seeker has arrived at their destination and, with eagerness, contemplates the fruition thereof. This station exemplifies submission and preparedness to receive divine bounties.
Raghbah is the station of submission and the descent of divine blessings. At this station, the seeker resembles a cloud primed to shed the rain of beneficence. The discourse underscores that submission is a state wherein the seeker attains complete readiness to receive divine mercy. This preparedness is the outcome of hastening towards blessings and the synthesis of Raghbah and Ruhbah (awe).
Submission functions as a vessel that prepares the seeker's heart to receive divine grace. Raghbah acts as the key that fills this vessel with light and mercy.
The discourse warns that the saints of God supplicate sparingly, yet their prayers are invariably accompanied by acceptance. Excessive supplication is likened to a cloud devoid of rain, yielding no fruit. Due to submission and Raghbah, the prayers of the saints become akin to rain-bearing clouds, efficaciously answered.
Excessive supplication resembles winds that scatter barren clouds across the sky, whereas the prayers of the saints resemble rain that quenches the soil of the heart.
Raghbah, as the station of submission, guides the seeker towards the realisation of their desire and the descent of blessings. This station, defined by journeying towards actualisation and readiness to receive divine mercy, illuminates the seeker's heart with the light of acceptance. The critique of excessive supplication underscores the importance of the quality of prayer over quantity. Raghbah is comparable to a cloud that, through submission, pours the rain of blessings upon the terrain of the spiritual path.
The discourse addresses the critique of views that accuse the prophets of error and deem efforts to purify them as misguided. The prophets, by virtue of their infallibility, are immune to error and require no purification. The prayers of the prophets during states of distress, such as those of Jonah and Zechariah, do not signify weakness but rather an exhibition of Raghbah and acceptance.
The purification of the prophets is likened to attempting to cleanse the sun, which is itself free from all impurity. The infallibility of the prophets is like a light upon which no shadow can fall.
The discourse asserts that the differences among the prophets lie in their degrees of virtue, not in their infallibility. All prophets possess the vessel of infallibility, yet their ranks of virtue, exemplified by Zechariah and Jonah, vary. This distinction is comparable to stars that shine in the firmament of prophecy, each emitting a unique light.
The distinction of the prophets is like a scale that weighs virtues by the measures of faith and deeds. Infallibility functions as the foundation upon which this scale rests.
The critique of erroneous theological views regarding the prophets reinforces the theological status of Raghbah within the Shiite doctrinal framework. The prophets' infallibility transforms their prayers in distress into manifestations of Raghbah and acceptance. The distinction among the prophets reveals gradations of virtue, while infallibility remains the common foundation. These critiques serve as beacons illuminating the path of spiritual progression from the shadows of doubt.
Discourse number 206 of Manzil al-Sirn casts a brilliant light upon the path of mystical progression through the elucidation of the station of Raghbah. Positioned as the final station within the division of the chapters, Raghbah directs the seeker from the realm of hope (Raja') towards the domain of certainty and realisation. This station, grounded in verse 90 of Srah al-Anbiy, presents ardour and attachment to God as an exalted attribute, accompanied by awe and humility. Quranic exemplars, including the prayers of Jonah and Zechariah, clarify the relationship between Raghbah and acceptance. The differentiation of Raghbah from Raja', the role of awe in its perfection, and its elevated humility establish Raghbah as a dynamic and pivotal spiritual station.
Raghbah, through engendering submission and the descent of blessings, illuminates the seeker's heart with the light of acceptance. The critique of excessive supplication and incorrect views concerning the prophets strengthens the theological standing of this station. Like a cloud that pours the rain of blessings upon the spiritual terrain, Raghbah guides the seeker toward divine transactions.
اللَّهُمْ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ